The Biblical term
“hell” is greatly misunderstood by the vast
majority of Christians. Theologians have argued
and debated for centuries as to whether hell is
a definite place, or simply a state of
existence. Evangelists and preachers have often
described in great detail literal flames of fire
leaping up from the pit of hell, as if they had
personally observed the pyrotechnic display. The
ones arguing for hell being a state of existence
are just as adamant for this position as the
ones arguing for hell being a definite place
with real flames. The details
about hell can only be found in the Scriptures,
where heaven and hell are both addressed with
100% accuracy. Unfortunately, it requires a
substantial amount of research and study to
understand the details of hell from the
Scriptures, and not to be misled by folklore and
false paradigms from imaginative preachers.
It must first
be understood that “hell” is an old English term
used to translate one Hebrew word in the Old
Testament, and three Greek words in the New
Testament. Consequently, it is necessary that we
understand four different words in the Bible
instead of just one. It may not be a surprise to
some to learn that “hell” is both a definite
place and a state of existence—or more
accurately a state of destruction. The Old
Testament Hebrew word translated as “Hell” is sheol.
Sheol is the abode of the dead in the Old
Testament, and it is the same place as Hades in
the New Testament.We learn from
the Scriptures that Sheol or Hades consists of
three compartments. These three compartments are
described in the Bible as Tartaros,
The Place of Torment and Abraham’s Bosom. Tartaros is
the abyss or the bottomless pit in Hades. It is
almost certainly located in the center of the
earth, since this is the only place inside the
earth that would not have a bottom. In the
center of the earth, all directions are up.
Tartaros is the place where the vilest of angels
that fell with Lucifer are imprisoned. It is
also the place where Satan will be imprisoned
for the millennium.Abraham’s Bosom
is the place in Hades (i.e., Sheol) where the
elect of God went at death before the
resurrection of Jesus. David and Jonah went down
into Sheol (i.e., Abraham’s Bosom) when they
died. Jesus also went there when He died, but He
referred to it as Paradise in his promise to the
thief on the cross next to him The Place of
Torment is where the spiritually dead go when
they die. They will remain there until the
resurrection for the White Throne Judgment.
Their resurrected bodies will then be destroyed
in the Lake of Fire, and they will be returned
to The Place of Torment for all eternity, in
accordance with the following Scripture: (Psa 9:17
NASB) The wicked will return to Sheol,
Even all the nations who forget God.The
transliterated Greek word gehenna is used twelve
times in the New Testament, and each one refers
to THE DESTROYING FIRE OF GOD, which results in
the STATE of perdition or destruction, but it
does not refer to a place. A Christian can be
cast into Gehenna, and this is the opposite of
entering into life. The Christian who is cast
into Gehenna fails to realize the salvation of
his soul at the Judgment Seat of Christ. His
life has been a waste, and it is destroyed in
Gehenna. Note: Gehenna
fire applies to Christians and the unsaved dead.
Gehenna is the destroying fire of God that
destroys the souls of unfaithful Christians and
the resurrected bodies of unsaved reprobates.
THE FIRE THAT TRIES THE LIVES OF CHRISTIANS IS
THE SAME FIRE THAT WILL CONSUME THE RESURRECTED
BODIES OF THE UNSAVED DEAD. This truth is
virtually unknown by the majority of the Church,
but it is Biblical fact. Fortunately, the
Christian will receive a new soul at the
Judgment Seat of Christ, and be like Christ.
Unfortunately, he will lose his reward of
reigning and ruling in the kingdom of God.
The unsaved
dead will spend eternity in Hades without a
body and with the old soul that has not been
redeemed. Thus, the Christian is completely
redeemed in spirit, soul and body, but the
unsaved reprobate is left with a dead spirit,
a depraved soul and no body to fulfill the
fleshly desires of the depraved soul.
Therefore, the unsaved reprobate cannot quench
his thirst or satisfy any of the lusts of the
flesh. Undoubtedly, this is the torment that
the unsaved dead will experience in Hades in
The Place of Torment. The following
verse is addressed to the disciples of Jesus.
The warning about Gehenna Fire is for believers:
(Mat 18:9 KJV) And if thine eye
offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from
thee: it is better for thee to enter into life
with one eye, rather than having two eyes to
be cast into hell (i.e., gehenna) fire.In the above
verse, Jesus employs the figure of speech called
hyperbole to make a strong point about the
importance of soul salvation. NOTE: The
alternatives are to enter into life or to be
cast into gehenna fire. LIFE IS NOT A PLACE AND
NEITHER IS GEHENNA FIRE. To enter into life is
to realize soul salvation at the Judgment Seat
of Christ. To be cast into gehenna fire is to
have one’s soul (i.e., life) destroyed by the
fire that tries our works. (Mat 10:28
KJV) And fear not them which kill the
body, but are not able to kill the soul: but
rather fear him which is able to destroy
both soul and body in hell (i.e., gehenna).This Scripture
is addressed to believers, and it states very
clearly that believers are not to fear men who
are able to kill their bodies, but they are to
fear God (i.e., him) who is able to destroy
their soul in Gehenna.The
misunderstanding about Gehenna is the reason
that so many Christians erroneously believe that
a Christian can lose his spirit salvation and go
to “Hell”. A Christian can lose his soul in the
Judgment Fire of God, but he still goes to
heaven and he is still redeemed in spirit, soul
and body. It is his reward that he loses. THE OLD MAN
MUST DIE, EITHER NOW IN THIS LIFE OR AT THE
JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST.SummaryHeaven is a
place! Hades and Sheol are a place. Tartaros is
a place. Earth is a place. The kingdom of heaven
is NOT A PLACE, but a position of authority.
Outer Darkness is NOT A PLACE, but the loss of a
position of authority. Gehenna is the fire that
will try men’s works. It refers to the
destruction of either the body or the soul. This
destruction is forever. This is the meaning of
“Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not
quenched.” Gehenna fire and the Lake of Fire are
the same. Both refer to the Judgment fire of God
to destroy the bodies and souls of men. Many
Christian’s will be hurt by Gehenna fire, which
is called the Second Death in the following
Scripture:(Rev 2:11 KJV) He that hath an
ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto
the churches; He that overcometh shall not be
hurt of the second death.